America has a history of using faith to justify a whole host of sins. Topping that list is racism. It's our country's original sin. With that being said, how can Conservatives idealize America as a country founded on Christian values? Jesus certainly wasn't a racist, so why do so many of his followers still cling to hatred and bigotry? It just doesn't make sense. A majority of American Christianity definitely has a problem with self-delusion and hypocrisy. So how did all of this come about?
This week, we sit down with Rhonda Ragsdale, a social justice educator. Rhonda has a Master's in U.S. History, Southern History, and Sociology. She'll walk us through the historical roots of racism and how, especially in the South, those roots are indelibly intertwined with religion.
Don't believe me? Just look to the last election. 81% of white evangelicals voted for Trump. 80% of them voted for cosplay cowboy and part-time pedophile, Roy Moore. Then look at the Southern Baptist Convention. It's the largest non-Catholic Christian denomination in the United States. The whole reason they use the moniker "Southern" in their name speaks to how they were founded by splitting from Northern Baptists over the issue of slavery. Christianity has a long history of being used to justify slavery and racism, but it shouldn't be so.
In theory, shouldn't the religious be less bigoted? That's just not the case in reality. We see American Christianity continuing to be used to justify right-wing ideologies and push hate against groups it opposes. Faith was never meant to be weaponized. How did we get here? Hint: it's all about God, gold, and glory.
Join us as we talk about racism now and racism then and just how we got to where we are at. One thing is clear, none of this has anything to do with Jesus.
Come along for the ride as we skewer through life, culture, and spirituality in the face of a changing world.You can find Rhonda Ragsdale on Twitter: @ProfRagsdale
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